Flush-valve.



iii u INVENTOH aqiv mvm O. I. MATSON. FLUSH VALVE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1906.

WITNESSES:

BY f M04,

4 ORNEY .CHARLES I. MATSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FLUSH-VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17,-1907.

Applicatioq file Wm 19.1906. Serial No. 844.012.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES I. MATSON, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in F lush-Valves, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to valves for controlling the flow of water in pipes and refers especially to that class known as automatic time wash valves.

My device is primarily designed to be used for washing the bowls of urinals although it may be put toa variety of uses and may be employed to regulate the flow of water in closets and in any location where an intermittent current is desired.

The chief objects of my invention are to produce a time wash valve that will automatically produce an intermittent flow of water for the purpose of washing or cleansing the bowl of a urinal, closet or other appliance to which it may be applied; to provide a valve that will be simple in construction and that can be readily taken apart or assembled; to provide a valve for the purpose stated in which there will be a minimum amount of wear thus rendering the device durable and increasing its efficiency; to furnish means for preventing the introduction of foreign material which would tend to clog the check valve duct to rovide means for automatically controlling t 1e valve movements for the purpose of preventing pounding; to so design the casing that all the parts may be entirely inclosed therein thus preventing any interference with the adjustment when the valve is assembled; to arrange the mechanism so that the appliance can be placed in any position without affecting the working of the valves; and to provide means for quickly opening the main valve in order to produce a maximum flow of water.

I obtain the above and other minor results by the appliance illustrated in the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view taken on a plane just above the junction of the casing with the base; Fig. 2 is a vertical section, a portion of the wall being broken away to disclose the spring check valve; Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view showing the spring check valve, and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view, also enlarged, showing the same valve in position in the base wall.

and formed integral with the base extends nearly tothe o osite side. A similar partition 14 placed l ielow the outlet pi e 12 extends horizontally inwards and t ese two structures are joined by a vertical wall 15 thus separating the inlet from the outlet pipe and dividing the interior of the valve into two compartments 16, 17. The artition 13 has an opening concentric wit the walls of the casing, which is closed by a cap 18 provided with screw threads 19 which engage internal threads in the partition 13. The said cap has a shoulder 20 which engages the upper face of the partition 13 to make a tight joint. The upper surface of the cap is furnished with lugs 21 to afford a purchase for a wrench, these In S being so spaced that a straight rod -may e used for this purpose without interfering with other parts of the mechanism.

In the upper compartment 17 is a iston 22 composed of two superimposed ollow cylinders 23, 24, and a ring 25, between which are held packing rings 26 formed of leather, the whole bein solidly fastened together by bolts 27. T e upper cylinder 23 is closed at one end by a cover 28 reinforced in the center by a boss 29, which is countersunk upon the under side and threaded to receive the threaded end 30 of a pendent tube 3, the lower end of which is provided with an internal flange 32 which engages the head 33 of a rod or stem 34 adapted to reciprocate within said tube 31. A coiled spring 35 fits within the bore of the piston 22, its upper end engaging the under surface of the cover 28 while its lower end rests upon the partition 13, and is engaged and kept from lateral displacement by the lugs 21 and the shoulder 20. This spring exerts a constant pressure against the piston thus tending to keep it in its extended position, as shown in Fig. 2. The lower end of the stem 34 passes through a central a gerture 36in the cap 18 and is secured to t e plunger 37 of a dash pot 38 which is formed integral with the floor 39 of the base .8. The lower margin 40 of the a erture 36 is made comparatlvely thin and s ghtly rounded to form a suitable valve seat for engagement with a gasket 41 secured.

between a flange 42 and the face of the plunger 37 by lock nuts 43 which engage threads 44 on the lower end of the. said stem. When the iston is in its highest position as shown in 1g. 2, the adjustment is such that the gasket 41 is held firmly against the valve seat 40, and the flange 32, provided with a beveled edge 45, lies within the aperture 36. A comparatively light spring 46 is interposed between the cap 18 and the plunger 37 and serves to hold the gasket 41 free frornthe valve seat 40 a ainst the action of gravity and the flow 0 water, when the valve is open. The lower end of said spring 46 is received in an annular groove 47 formed in the upper surface of the plunger 37 to prevent I dlsplacement during the movement of the plunger which might injure the gasket by friction of the spring upon its edge. Surrounding the endent tube 31 is a coiled spring 47 whic is fixed to the piston cover 28 by a screw 48. The lower end of this spring projects for a considerable distance below the end of the tube 31 and is adapted to engage the said flange 42 when the piston has descended to a sufficient extent and force the gasket 41 away from its valve seat 40.

To make provision for a byass between the upper and lower chambers t e wall of the casing is made thicker at one point by a reinforcement 49 in which is formed a passage way 50, which registers with a similar passage 51 in the base wall. The upper end of the passage .50 terminates in an opening 52, which communicates with the upper compartment above the highest point reached by the iston, the lower end of the by-pass, whic is the passage 51, communicating with the lower compartment 16 by means of the of the check is securely held a gasket 62.

This gasket is pressed lightl against a valve seat-63 b a spring 64 paced below the check. T 's spring must necessarily be ve weak in order that it may not interfere wit the action of the spring 35 upon the piston when forcing the water out of the u per 65 compartment. The valve seat 63 has a are 63 which registers with the passage 50 and the lower margin 65 is reduced to a thin ed e to assist in makin a tight joint when t e valve is closed. he screw 59 is provided with a lon 'tudinal duct 66, the diameter of which is re atively small compared with that of the passages 50, 51,- ThlS duct is con- 'stantly open and its ends are covered by perforated screens 67 to prevent the entrance of foreign matter into the duct which would tend to clog it. 1 T The 0 eration of the apparatus is as follows: Tiie working .parts of the valve are seen in' their initial positions in Fig. 2. v This will be their relatlon before the wate is 30 turned on. If, now, water under pressure is allowed to enter the inlet pipe, it will quickly fill the lower com artment 16 and add its efiect to that of t e springs 46 and 64, to hold the main and check valves more firmly to their seats. As soon as the lower compartment is filled the water will be forced slowly through the by-pass, entering the upper compartment 17 above the piston, through the orifice 52, forcing the piston gradually downward against the resistance of the spring. 35. The piston will continue to descend under this action until the lower end of the pendent spring 47 presses against the flange 42 with sufficient forceto overcome the upward pressure of the water in the lower compartment. As the descent of the piston is comparatively slow and the comined pressure of the spring 46 and that of the water upon the main valve is considerable, the spring 47 will be com ressed to a marked degree before the va ve will be 0 ened. The instant the contact between t e gasket 41 and the valve seat is broken the spring 47 will have only the resistance of the dash pot to overcome and in consequence the reaction of the spring 47 will quickly throw the valve bpen to a suflicient extent to permit a free flow of water directly through the opening 36 into the compartment 17 and 110 thence out through the discharge pipe 12. Were no provision madelto prevent 1t this sudden and forceful opening of .the valve would result in an undesirable pounding or hammeri This is avoided b the action of the dash-pot 38, the space etween' the plunger and the walls being'relativel small so that the flow of water therethroug is retarded and the valve movement corres ondingly decreased. This inhibitory action of the dash pot is also exercised when the valve is closing as hereinafter described. If, for any reason, the pressure of the spring 47 alone should prove insufficient to orce the a valve from its seat, the contact of the under '125 surface of the boss 29, which forms a closure for the tube 31, with the head 33 of the stem 34 will force the gasket 41 from its seat and permit the water to flowv with full force through said opening 36, modified, as before,

by the influence of the dash-pot. This onrush of water into the com artment below the piston will immediate y equalize the pressure due to the head, and the piston will egin to rise under the action of the s ring 35, forcing the water above it throug the orifice 52 into the byass, opening the spring check valve 55 and t us allowing all the surlus water above the piston to flow into the ower compartment much more rapidly than it was introduced through the narrow orifice of the duct 66. It will thus be seen that the duration of time for the discharge will be much shorter than the time of filling, and this ratio can be varied in two ways in the same apparatus. Thus we may replace the valve seat 63 by another having a bore of different ca acity which will change the time of disc arge or the size of the duct 66 still further reduction'in the rate of closingby gradually cutting off the flow of Water. As soon as t e main valve is seated the back pressure will force the water upward in the passage 51, closing the check valve and reversin the flow in the by-passage which will again be limited by the capacity of the duct 66. Although this duct has a great length compared with its caliber the constant flow of water under pressure will keep it well scoured and the screens p aced over its ends, having a very large area compared with that of said duct will continue to afiord an abundant supply of water evenshould a large proportion of their orifices become completely sto ped up with sediment.

a t is obvious that many changes may be made in the devices of my'inventlon as herein disclosed without departin from the spirit and sco e thereof, and I 0 not wish, t

erefore, to e limited to the precise construction herein set forth. Having thus described my invention what I clalm as new. is:-

1. A time flush 'v.'8 lVe, including a high' pressure chamber, a variable pressure chamer, a flush valve located between'saidchambers, a timing valve located in said variable pressure chamber and arranged to open and close said flush valve, a by ass in constant communication with said'c ambers, and a check valve for said by-pass.

2. A time flush valve, including a can be changed by inserting another screw.

revent fouling. In addition stem of said valve and surrounded pressure and a variable pressure chamber, a valve located between said chambers, a timing piston situated in said variable pressure chamber and arran ed to open and close said valve, means for iniibiting the valve action, a by-pass constantly communicating with both of said chambers and a check valve for said by-pass.

3. A valve for the purpose specified, including a casing having a high pressure and a variable pressure compartment, a flush valve between the compartments, a timing iston situated in the variable pressure chamber, yielding means for operating said piston in one direction, means for automatically operating said valve by the piston inanother direction, a dash pot for inhibiting the valve movement, a byass between the compartments and a checi; valve for said by-pass.

4. A valve for the urpose specified, including a casing provi ed with a plurality of chambers, a flush valve located between said chambers, a iston adapted to reci rocate in one of said 0 ambers and arrange to actuate said valve, a spring for operating said piston in one direction, a dashpot for retaining the valve movement, a by-pass between a the chambers, and a check valve for. the bypass, said bypass having .acontinuously open duct extending therethrough. f

5. A valve for the purpose specified, including a high pressure and-a variable pressure chamber, a flush valve located between said chambers, a piston adaptedto reciprocate in said variable pressure chamber, a 100 s ring arranged to actuate said iston inone irection, 0 erative connection etween said piston and t e flush valve, a dash pot for regulating the valve movement, a by-pass between the-chambers, and a check-valve for the by-pass, said check valve and byass havingla continuously open ductexten ing I theret rough.

6. A valve for the purpose. specified, .including a high-pressure and a variable pressure chamber, a flush valve located between said chambers, a piston adapted to recipro cate in said variable pressure chamber, a

s ring'adapted to operate the iston inone irection, operative connection etween said piston and the flush valve, said connection consisting of a tubular member inclosin the y s ring attached at one end to said piston, a

ash pot adapted to retard the valve movement, abyass between thesaid chambers, and a ichec -valve for said by pass, said valve and by-pass having a continuously open duct extending therethrough. In testimony whereof I affix my signature 125 in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES I. MATSON.

Witnesses:

4 Grams. F. BASSETT,

- .Gno. -L. PA'r'rnasoN. 

